SPORTS SECTION E
4th Quarter Press
Column , Page 3
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2016
Countdown to 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer WCup begins By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net WE have a look, we have an emblem, and the countdown toward the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup is officially underway. Nine months away from opening kickoff, the Local Organising Committee unveiled the official look and emblem of the event at a press conference hosted yesterday at the Atlantis Resort. In an event expected to revolutionise the sport in the country, 16 teams from around the world will be taking part in the tournament hosted April 27 to May 7, 2017 at the new beach soccer stadium, currently under construction near the Nassau side of the Paradise Island Bridge. Bahamas Football Association President Anton Sealey said the entire country should begin its preparation to host the international football community. “This is an exciting time for the BFA and for the country in general. Beach soccer is such an exciting and spectacular event and this runs for 14 days, it’s a festival. The island of the Bahamas will play host to some of the most ac-
robatic, exciting football that we have ever seen,” he said. “We at the BFA have worked extremely hard to make sure that we land this event because we know the impact it can have, not only on the local sporting community but also economically for the country as a whole.” The new beach soccer facility at the foot of the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge has an expected completion date of November 2016. “It will be the first of its kind, certainly in the region and one of the best beach soccer facilities in the world. We hope to have it completed by November and that will transform that entire area,” Sealey said. “When I approached Dr Daniel Johsnon with the idea of hosting this FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup he said this is what his ministry is about and under his direction and his guidance with this, and with a number of other events, we have furthered our development into the business of sports.” According to the LOC, the emblem is intended to reflect the positive uplifting nature of the tournament and the local culture of the host country. The emblem uses the shape of the FIFA Beach
THE OFFICIAL logo for the Beach Soccer World Cup Bahamas 2017. Soccer World Cup Official Trophy as the canvas and the vivid colours reflect the pristine landscape and culture of the host country. “The official emblem is a testament to the beauty of The Bahamas and the great appeal of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. We are delighted to unveil this iconic emblem along with the tournament’s official look, inviting beach soccer fans to join what promises to be an exciting and colourful event”, said Thierry Weil, FIFA marketing director. At the heart of the official emblem, an orange sunset hov-
ers above three pillars. The first column shows the silhouette of a player performing one of the spectacular athletic feats beach soccer is known for across the world. The 16 white dots mirror the islands of The Bahamas when seen from the sky. The central pillar features a feather, a reference to the islands’ national bird, the flamingo. And the bright costumes on display at the biggest local festival Junkanoo. The third pillar is the silhouette of a wave, to show the hundreds of kilometres of beach and coast that make up the pristine Bahamian archipelago. LOC Chairman Jeffrey Beckles said the launch was a call to action for all Bahamians to seek involvement in the upcoming tournament in some form or another. “It serves as a clarion call to Team Bahamas, the people that live here and call this country home. We encourage Bahamians everywhere to get involved volunteering their time and their effort to ensure that this event will be the best event that FIFA ever put on in its history. “We welcome the world to our shores. Hosting this event is another giant step in our quest to become the premier sports desti-
nation in the world. This unveiling signals the official countdown, which is nine months away. “We are extremely proud to release this beautiful imagery, which not only represents what we are as Bahamians, but offers a view of what embodies the spirit of what it means to be Bahamian. The thousands of visitors who will visit our shores to experience this magnificent tournament will not only see the vibrancy and colour of the country in the official emblem and the pageantry, they will feel it when they interact with our warm, hospitable people.” Participants in the event will be confirmed after the six continental qualifying stages during 2016 and 2017. Groups and match schedule will be announced at the official draw on February 28, 2017. “We have this brand that is better than any in the world. Last year $7.6 trillion was spent on sports and leisure travel. Our brand, as you know, has a market share and anywhere in the world you know that brand. What we didn’t know is what’s better in the Bahamas. What is the ‘it’ we have that no
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Day 2 on par By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net here is some ground to make up for the Bahamas Golf Federation’s team at the 60th Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships, but there have also been several individual standout performances.. Through two days at the event, several Bahamian players have been in the hunt, near the top of leaderboards in their respective divisions at the tournament hosted at the Ocean Club Golf Course on Paradise Island. In the Hoerman Cup for regular players, Devaughn Robinson leads the charge for Team Bahamas. Robinson shot a -2, 70 yesterday, one of only seven players in the Hoerman Cup field to shoot under par on day two. A six-time former member of Team Bahamas’ CAJGC and CAGC national teams, Robinson has been the top player of the team and is tied for fifth in the overall field at -1 (143). He shot an opening round 73. Horace Miller and Richard Gibson are tied at No.31 with total scores of 157. Miller shot +4 over yesterday while Gibson shot +6 over. Both stand at +13, Miller had rounds of 81 and 76 while Gibson shot 79 and 78. Steven Kemp is tied with a trio of players at No.33 with a total score oh 158. He shot a +6, 78 yesterday to follow up an opening round of 80. Peter McIntosh shot +10, 82 in round two for a cumulative score of 162 thus far, tied at No.40. McIntosh, a multiple BGF national amateur champion and equally a repeat member of Hoerman Cup teams, shot an opening round 80. George Swann, ranked at No.47,
SEALEY: ‘THE TEAMS ARE HERE AND WE ARE READY TO GO’
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By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net
DEVAUGHAN ROBINSON, of the Bahamas, drives on the second day of the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship at the Ocean Club course, Paradise Island. SEE OFFICIAL RESULTS AND PHOTOS ON PAGE 2 Photo by Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff shot an 86 yesterday at +14. The veteran golfer has a total of 175 thus far. In the George Teale Cup for ladies, the Bahamas fielded a team of Inecia Rolle, Sheridan Robinson, Marlique Hield and Taneka Sandiford. Rolle has been the top performer for the team thus far in 12th place with a score of 162, +18 over. Rolle, the winner of the BGF’s 2015 President’s Cup, shot 82, +10 yesterday to follow an opening round of 80. Robinson is tied at No.14 with a score of 166, +22 over. After an opening round of 86, she lowered her score in round two to 80, and was 11th in the 25 member field at +8 on the day. Hield is tied at No.18 with a total score of 169 after she shot +10 over,
82 yesterday. Sandiford also shot an identical score of 82, and is in the 20th spot with a total of 170. A repeat member of the George Teale Cup and a former contender for the 2015 Bahamas’ representative spot in the PureSilk Bahamas LPGA Classic, she shot an opening round of 88. Rolle follows one spot behind with a score of 166 and +22 over. Bahamas Golf Federation president Glen Archer said during the week of activities, there will be a special recognition of the late legendary golfer and administrator Fred Higgs. He will be inducted in the next class of the Caribbean Golf Association’s Hall of Fame. Additionally, Archer said the CGA will pay tribute to Ambrose Gouthro, a former president of
the BGF. Ambrose is the current CGA president. For the first time this year, the Ambrose Gouthro Trophy will be presented to the overall team champions in honour of Gouthro. The federation, according to Archer, will be naming the Bahamas national team later this week. The team will comprise of six men in the Hoerman Cup for regular golfers and three women for the George Teale Cup. The winners will be determined from a combined score accumulated for the Arthur Ziadie Trophy. A total of nine countries, including the Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the US Virgin Islands, are expected to participate.
WITH two devoted fanbases, championship football clubs and the anticipation of elite level soccer, the Bahamas Football Association expects a large crowd and fierce competition on the pitch tomorrow night. The Bahamas Football Association, through the sponsorship of BTC and the support of the National Sports Authority, will host the Montego Bay United Football Club against the Don Bosco Football Club 8pm Friday (July 29) in the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium. “The teams are here and we are ready to go,” said Anton Sealey, president of the BFA. “Based on what I know on the passion both the Haitians and Jamaicans have for the sport of football, I expect to have a very good, enthusiastic and energetic crowd on hand so I expect a great event on Friday.” Sealey said the objective is to be able to host a series of matches between champions throughout the region and eventually have the involvement of the Bahamas in the series. Also serving as an ex-
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Nike Elite Youth Basketball Camp returns to New Providence By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net FOR the second consecutive year, the highlight of Nike’s offseason basketball programme for high school players will be featured in the Bahamas. The footwear and apparel giant is hosting some of the best high school seniors and underclassmen in America at the Bahamas edition of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League Camp, August 20 at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. The programme features 12 of the top high school junior and senior players for a brief training camp and exhibition against a select squad from the Bahamas. The event was created last year emerging out of the prospect battle between Nike and rival show company Under Armour.
Both Nike and Under Armour hosted events concurrently, with the Under Armour Elite 24 hosted in Brooklyn, New York, and the new Nike event in the Bahamas. The Bahamas has already established a reputation as a host for some of the top collegiate basketball talent in America with the Battle 4 Atlantis and now looks to do the same at the prep level. The Under-Armour Elite 24 has quickly become one of the premier events during the summer as the bidding war between major shoe companies heats up in an attempt to claim top college prospects. It is televised live on ESPN, but the creation of Nike’s new event has lured away some of its star power. The No.1 recruit in America for the class of 2017, Bahamian forward DeAndre Ayton, competed
NBA LEGEND Gary Payton coached one of the teams in last year’s event. Photo: 10thyearseniors.com in last year’s Under Armour game after spending the season on the UA Association circuit. This season, the Hillcrest Acad-
emy product has competed on the Nike EYBL circuit for Supreme Elite out of California. The Nike EYBL Bahamas edi-
tion, referred to as #TheTrip – was announced approximately a week prior to its scheduled date. Nick Blatchford, Under Armour director of grassroots and college basketball, admitted that the Nike event, forced recruits to choose between spending three days in New York or three days in New York at their event of three days in the Bahamas. “It’s a paid-for vacation,” said Blatchford when the game was announced last year. “That seems to be a pretty fair interpretation. The fact that they’re putting something together, kind of lastminute, tells me they’re trying to play defence.” In 2015, the Nike EYBL Select team, coached by NBA Hall of Famer Gary Payton, made quick work of the Bahamas’ Select team
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PAGE 2, Thursday, July 28, 2016
THE TRIBUNE
Action heats up on 2nd day of the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championships
PETER MCINTOSH, of the Bahamas, hits an approach shot on the second day of the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship at the Ocean Club course, Paradise Island. Photos by Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff
RICHARD GIBSON, of the Bahamas, in action.
MARLIQUE HIELD, of the Bahamas, in action. SHERIDAN ROBINSON, of the Bahamas, hits an iron shot.
TANEKA SANDIFORD, of the Bahamas, takes an iron off the tee at the Ocean Club course, Paradise Island, yesterday.
GEORGE SWANN, of the Bahamas, in action yesterday.
INECIA ROLLE, of the Bahamas, drives yesterday during the Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, July 28, 2016, PAGE 3
Buddy blazes a trail for wannabe Bahamain sports H T R U O F stars QUARTER SHORTLY after 9am, the point to prove is that they belong on the court with him. Him, in this case, is the No.6 overall pick in the 2016 National Basketball Association Draft, Chavano Rainer ‘Buddy’ Hield. Them are 20 of the Bahamas’ top high school basketball players. Just months earlier, Buddy placed the Bahamas on his shoulders and took the country on a ride it will certainly never forget. On that journey there were stops at every single award that the standout two-guard could win during the NCAA season and post-season. His senior season for the Oklahoma Sooners ended with the John R Wooden, Naismith and Oscar Robertson Player of the Year trophies. Buddy was also named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches first-team, a firstteam All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), Sports Illustrated and USA Today. His list of honours thus far on the year also includes the Sporting News Player of the Year, USBWA District VI Player of the Year, CBS Sports Player of the Year, Big 12 Player of the Year and the
PRESS
BY RICARDO WELLSedia.net rwells@tribunem
“THE YOUNGSTER IN FRONT OF HIM STOOD IN AMAZEMENT AT HOW QUICKLY BUDDY WAS ABLE TO STEP TO HIS RIGHT, STOP ON A DIME AND PULL UP FOR A NOW UNCONTESTED SHOT.” All-Big 12 first-team. Buddy had become the living proof that the biggest hurdle to Bahamian youths pursuing athletic careers could be overcome. He made it from an obscure settlement known as Holmes Rock in Eight Mile Rock, Freeport, Grand Bahama. I took time to to clarify his exact location as Holmes Rock because, in my opinion. that is the best way to describe his journey to basketball stardom. Buddy took one step at a time, from one level to the next, until he eventually made it here. The ‘here’ would be the forefront of collective bas-
ketball minds. Motioning at the threepoint line last at the Kendal Isaacs Gym, Nasssau, last Saturday, moments before the start of his inaugural ‘Buddy Hield Invitational’, the recently signed New Orleans Pelicans guard suggested to the young players surrounding him “it’s that first step you have to get on, once you beat them with that first step you got them second guessing because they have no clue what you could do next”. With a quick jab step, Buddy got to the free-throw line for an easy pull up. The youngster in front of him stood in amazement at how quickly Buddy was able to
Meet our Olympians Name: Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace Nickname: Anna Age: 26 High School: St Andrew’s School/ The Bolles School College: Auburn University Best subject: Most hospitality classes Event (s): 50 and 100 Freestyle Best time (s): 24.31, 53.7 International teams competed on: Olympics (2), World Championships (6), Pan Ams (2), Commonwealth Games, CAC games (2), CARIFTA, Caribbean Island Swimming Championships, CCCAN Coached by whom: Tietchka Vanderpool-Wallace, Sergio Lopez, Brett Hawke, David Marsh Medals won: Short Course World Championship bronze medal, Commonwealth Games silver medal, Pan American Games gold and bronze medals Favourite colour: Blue Favourite food: Pasta Favourite movie: All the Ice Age movies and all the Madagascar movies
Idol: My parents, brother Parents: Tietchka and Vincent VanderpoolWallace Sibling (s): Aleksandr Vanderpool-Wallace Expectations for Rio: Make my country proud
and perform to the best of my ability Status: Single • The Tribune is featuring profiles of the Bahamian Olympians daily in the buildup to the 2016 Games in Brazil next month
NEW Orleans Pelicans rookie guard Buddy Hield shares a special moment with youngsters during his invitational last Saturday. step to his right, stop on a dime and pull up for a now uncontested shot. “That’s what I am saying. Once I got them on that first step they can’t stop me,” he shouted. “It doesn’t have anything to do with my speed or shot. I practice this move so long it has become a battle between me and myself; that’s all basketball is.” It was almost as if Buddy was handing out the keys to success ... after giving it some thought, it was. While the Bahamas has produced many influential and successful athletes in various disciplines, many youngsters believe that if you don’t move away at a young age to pursue your athletic dreams it is next to impossible to achieve them here. Buddy’s first step came during the Darrell Sears Showcase some eight years ago, as a 12th grader for the Sir Jack Hayward Wild-
cats. We all know how that worked out. He got them on that first step and he was discovered. Around 9.35am, now in the middle of what could only be described as a fullon coaching segment, Buddy said: “When I left here, it wasn’t my shot that had to change right away, my game wasn’t that bad. It was my mind.” While I didn’t have a chance to speak directly to him about what exactly he meant by “it was my mind”, I could derive its meaning from his actions. As a whistle blew to signal to the young guys that it was time to go and get ready for the day’s activities, Hield said: “You have to be dedicated to the work. You have to be ok with the blocks and understand the misses. But you can’t let that stop you from pushing through. You can’t let no one of that break you.” As the court cleared, it
was Buddy, the ball and the eastern rim ... he proceeded to take dozens of jumpers. As those kids returned, now dressed and ready for the upcoming game, Buddy was still there - jab step, pump fake, pull up; jab step, pump fake, spin move, pull up. The Bahamas didn’t make Buddy Hield great. The conditions he lived through weren’t made easier by the Bahamas as a country. Many of us didn’t know Buddy until ESPN introduced us to him. While you accept that however, respect the fact that he is Bahamian and understand that his arrival on the world stage promotes the idea to your sons, brothers, nephews, cousins that they - too - can make it from their obscure community to the world stage. • Ricardo Wells writes Fourth Quarter Press every Thursday. Comments to rwells@tribunemedia.net
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THE TRIBUNE
THE Local Organising Committee unveiled the official look and emblem of the event during a press conference at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island yesterday.
Countdown to the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer WCup begins FROM PAGE 1 one else has,” Minister of
Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson said. “We have the best brands coming to the world. We know FIFA had their Congress here, and they were im-
pressed with the brand. Our question was how do we co-brand. Obviously the world knows we have the best beaches and it was easy for us to say beach soccer is
certainly better in the Bahamas.” Official information on the • You can follow Team BahaFIFA Beach Soccer World Cup mas at https://www.facebook.com/ Bahamas 2017 can be found at beachsoccer2017 fifa.com/beachsoccerworldcup.
MONTEGO BAY UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB TO FACE DON BOSCO FOOTBALL CLUB THIS FRIDAY
FROM PAGE 1
FORMER NBA player and coach Brian Shaw (above) coached at last year’s event in the Bahamas. Photos: 10thyearseniors.com
NIKE ELITE YOUTH BASKETBALL CAMP RETURNS TO NASSAU FROM PAGE 1 with a 125-65 win. Rashad Davis and Charles Bain, both of Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas, led the way for Team Bahamas with 16 points. Azaro Roker of locally based Anatol Rodgers finished with 10, while Calvin Anderson
of St Louis Christian Academy and now Navarro Junior College, added six. Duke commit Jayson Tatum led the Nike EYBL team with 18 points, Gary Trent Jr scored 17 and Florida State commit Jonathan Isaac scored 16. Giles, the 6’10” prospect out of Oak Hill Academy, was top ranked for the class of 2016 on the ESPN 100 and also committed to
Duke. Monk, a 6’3” guard from Bentonville High who was ranked ninth in the 2016 class, chose Kentucky. The roster also included several ranked members of the 2016 Class like No.8 Miles Bridges (Michigan State) out of Huntington Prep, No.6 De’Aaron Fox (Kentucky) out of Cypress Lakes. The Nike roster could see the
return of several highly touted recruits from last year’s game in the class of 2017 with their NCAA decisions pending. These players include, No.2 Wendell Carter (Pace Academy), No.3 Mohamed Bamba (Westtown), No. 9 Trent Jr (Findlay College Prep), No. 20 Jarred Vanderbilt (Victory Prep) and No.21 Trae Young (Norman North High).
ecutive with the National Sports Authority, he said the improvement of the facilities will provide the framework. “This is just the beginning of one of many events we host at the stadium. We are investing quite a bit of money in upgrading our facilities, once we make that effort to upgrade our facilities we have to use them. We have to showcase our facilities to the world,” he said. “Certainly, we begin by doing this regionally with our colleagues in the Caribbean and with the emphasis being that down the road we can host more world-class events, expose our young athletes to world class athletes so that they can look and emulate them and that can only auger well for our sports programmes in the country.” During the evening, there will be a number of performances to keep the fans entertained in and outside of the stadium. Also at the halftime, the Humming Bird Dancers, an arm of the Humming Bird Association of Jamaican residents in the Bahamas, are expected to perform. Sharon Purser-Cooper is the cultural director who leads the dancers. A group of Haitian dancers will also perform. BTC CEO Leon Williams presented $30,000 cash and in-kind cheque to the National Sports Authority to assist in hosting the event. Williams said as their responsibility as a corporate citizen, they reinvest portions of their earnings back into the community and with a large block of Caribbean nationals rising in the Bahamas, especially from Haiti and Jamaica, they are elated to sponsor this tournament. “Both Haiti and Jamaica are fanatics about football, which we call soccer,” Williams said. “So we are delighted to join the National Sports Authority in making this event a success.” As a part of their partnership with FLOW TV, Williams said all territories in the region will be able to watch the soccer match live on channel 104 or on BTC website www.btcbahamas.com/btctv.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, July 28, 2016, PAGE 5
Putin slams discrimination as banned athletes join send-off By NATALIYA VASILYEVA, and ROB HARRIS Associated Press MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin hit out at “discrimination” against the country’s banned track and field athletes at a Kremlin send-off ceremony yesterday for its depleted Olympic team. Fencers, triathletes and table tennis players became the latest team of Russians to be cleared to compete in the Olympics by the governing bodies of their sports ahead of the Moscow ceremony, but the IAAF rejected a bid by the bulk of the track and field team to be reinstated. More than 100 Russians from the 387-strong Olympic team have been banned so far from going to Rio de Janeiro. “We can’t accept indiscriminate disqualification of our athletes with an absolutely clean doping history,” Putin said. “We cannot and will not accept what in fact is pure discrimination.” Putin said the athletes banned from the Olympics were victims of a campaign to present Russian sports in a bad light. He spoke with two-time Olympic pole-vaulting champion Yelena Isinbayeva, the most high-profile of the 67 track and field athletes banned from the games, standing beside him. Fighting back tears, Isinbayeva told Rio-bound Russian athletes: “Show them what you’re able to do — for yourself and for us too.” As the athletes walked across Red Square to meet Putin, some posed for selfies with Vitaly Mutko, whose sports ministry was accused by the World Anti-Doping
RUSSIA’s pole vaulter and Olympic champion Yelena Isinbayeva gestures after speaking at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, yesterday during a reception for Russia’s Olympics team. (AP) Agency of orchestrating the doping cover-up. The sports minister has been blocked by the International Olympic Committee from attending the games next month but he remains in Putin’s government. The IAAF is the only sport to impose a near-blanket ban on Russians, only deeming one — long jumper Darya Klishina — eligible for Rio. “The situation went beyond the legal field as well as common sense,” Putin told the audience, which included many of the banned athletes. “It’s a wellplanned campaign which targeted our athletes, which included double-standards and the concept of collective punishment which has nothing to do with justice or even basic legal norms. “Not only have our athletes who never faced any specific accusations been hurt — this is a blow to the entire global sports and the Olympic Games. Clearly, the ab-
sence of Russian athletes who were leaders in some of the sports will affect the competition.” There was positive news, however, from Putin’s ally, Alisher Usmanov, the Russian billionaire who is president of the International Fencing Federation. The governing body said it would allow the 16 Russian fencers who have qualified for the Rio Games to compete and it approved four reserves. The decision came after the FIE said it had re-examined 197 tests taken from Russian fencers in 35 countries over the last two years which all came back negative. The FIE said the fencers heading to Rio were not implicated in the latest report by WADA investigator Richard McLaren, who found that four positive doping tests in Russian fencing disappeared in recent years. Four positive results in Russian triathlon were also covered up,
according to McLaren. The International Triathlon Union said the three men and three women who qualified for Rio are not mentioned in the McLaren report and have not served past doping suspensions. “They have all been tested outside of Russia,” the ITU said in a statement. “Therefore, ITU will recommend to the IOC that these six athletes be permitted to compete in Rio next month.” The Table Tennis Federation also announced that the three Russians who qualified for Rio should be allowed to compete because they were not implicated in the McLaren report, which classified one doping case in their sport as a “disappearing positive.” Russian entries to the Olympics must still be examined and upheld by an expert from the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The International Gymnastics Federation said it has established a “pool of eligible Russian athletes” and is awaiting IOC approval. Individual sports federations were given the task of deciding which athletes should be cleared to compete in Rio by the International Olympic Committee on Sunday. In his native Germany, IOC President Thomas Bach is facing increasing criticism for failing to impose a complete ban on Russia’s team. Germany’s national anti-doping agency chief Andrea Gotzmann said the decision does not follow the IOC’s declared “zero tolerance” policy, saying Bach has missed “a huge chance.” Olympic discuss champion Robert Harting said he was “ashamed of Thomas Bach.”
Usain Bolt’s mom says key to keeping him calm is laughter By LEANNE ITALIE Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — How does the mom of Usain Bolt help the world’s fastest man keep his cool? “We say things that will make him laugh,” said Jennifer Bolt as her sprinter star offspring faces down what just may be his last Olympics. At nearly 30, Bolt has six Olympic gold medals from the Beijing and London Olympics. Though he withdrew July 1 from Jamaica’s national meet with a slight tear in his left hamstring, the world record holder in the 100- and 200-metre dash proved his fitness July 22 in the 200 at the London Anniversary Games and deemed himself good to go for Rio. A few days before the London event, his mom visited New York and said in an interview that she wasn’t worried, having long ago learned that calming her own nerves was the best way to soothe Usain. “I know he’s going to get well and everything will be OK for the games,” said the soft-spoken Jennifer, who has been cheering him on since his speed first surfaced around 12 or 13. “I tell him just stay focused, remember God, remember to pray and read your Bible,” she said. Usain has come back from injuries before, including left hamstring problems. When it happened in 2004 at what was supposed to be his first Olympics, in Athens, he didn’t make it past the first round. He was just 17. “It was a bit scary because we didn’t really understand and know what it was,” Jennifer said. “He had wanted so much to be at the Olympics and he just couldn’t make it.” Jennifer and Usain’s dad, Wellesley, live in the same village along Jamaica’s northern coast where they ran a general store during Usain’s youth. They’ve been helping him, Jennifer said, “not get nervous” since 2002, when at age 15 he debuted at the World Junior Championships in Kingston. He won the 200-metre — and that was the beginning for the 6-foot-5 sprinter, who had never been away from his parents or his modest village of Sherwood Content in Trelawny Parish before he left for Kingston to train professionally. At 12, when he earned a scholarship to attend a high school known for turning out strong athletes, it all clicked for Jennifer. Bolt loved cricket and football growing up but he has said he settled on track because he was good at it. As a child, she said, “he could not keep still. Even in the bed, you
IN THIS file photo, Wellesley, right, and Jennifer Bolt, parents of Jamaican Olympic gold medallist and world record sprinter Usain Bolt, pose after an interview in New York. (AP) could see him tossing. When he started high school, that’s when we see that he’s really competitive.” Over the years, Jennifer said, she has realised her best approach is to remain strong when her son falters. “I learn to cope with it. I cannot feel down when I have to support him. I just pray and hope that everything will be good,” she said. “I know that he still depends on his mother.” It’s just as he did as a teen. “I can remember in 2002 for the world championships. At the time he was 15 and before the games he didn’t want to go. “And he cries, and I had to try to comfort him, encourage him to go out and do his best because he didn’t feel that he could have done it,” she said. “I was really, really, really nerv-
ous and, you know, my legs shake. My heart beat.” Then she listened to the crowd. “The crowd was behind him. From then I don’t feel that nervous,” she said. The scene plays out a bit in “The Boy Who Learned to Fly ,” a new short animated film produced by Gatorade and based on Usain’s life. The advice her animated self gives to her jittery teen before the 2002 junior worlds: “You can always go fast when you keep it light.” Norman Peart, who handles finances for Usain, has been a mentor since he was 15. Peart accompanied him to Kingston when Usain first left home to train. Usain lived with him, and later his wife and kids, for three years. There’s a saying in Jamaica that fits Usain perfectly, said Peart, 13
years his senior. “We say, you have to have crocodile skin to handle the pressure, and he does,” he said. So how do the two think the ebullient Usain’s retirement, maybe in the next year or so, will play out? Jennifer thinks he’d make a great TV analyst. “He’d put a little vibes to the sports,” she laughed of her son’s reputation for his trademark “lightning bolt,” his love of flashing huge smiles and his party spirit. Peart thinks the same of Usain’s future. “I can see him as an analyst. And he’ll do stuff with Puma for years to come for sure,” said Peart of one of Usain’s biggest endorsement deals. But before that: “The first thing he’ll do is take a little break. He’d love some time for himself.”
3 RUSSIAN MEDALISTS AMONG 11 POSITIVES IN 2012 GAMES RETESTS By PABLO GORONDI Associated Press BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Eleven weightlifters, including three Russian medallists, have tested positive for banned drugs in the latest retests of samples from the 2012 London Olympics, the International Weightlifting Federation said yesterday. The IWF said in a statement that all 11 athletes, six of whom were medallists, had been provisionally suspended until their cases are closed. Four of the 11 are Russians, who all tested positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone, an anabolic steroid. The positive Russian tests came from Alexandr Ivanov, silver medallist in the men’s 94-kilogram division; Nataliya Zabolotnaya, silver in the women’s 75-kilogram division; Svetlana Tzarukaeva, silver in the women’s 63-kilogram division; and Andrey Demanov, who placed fourth in the men’s 94-kilogram division. Ivanov also tested positive for tamoxifen, a hormone modulator. The three other medal winners in the group were Hripsime Khurshudyan, Armenia (bronze, over75-kilogram division), Iryna Kulesha, Belarus (bronze, 75-kilogram division) and Cristina Iovu of Moldova (bronze, 53-kilogram division). Also testing positive were Turkey’s Sibel Simsek, Almas Uteshov of Kazakhstan, Georgia’s Rauli Tsirekidze and Intigam Zairov of Azerbaijan. Bulgarian weightlifters have been banned from the upcoming Rio de Janeiro Games because of the large number of positive doping tests, while Russian weightlifters also risk being barred from the Olympics. On Monday, the IWF said it had requested “further clarification” from the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency before its decision on which Russian athletes can be cleared to compete in Rio. After consultations on Sunday, the IOC stopped short of a blanket ban on Russian athletes at the Rio Games, following a WADA report that accused Russia of widespread doping and cover-up. Instead, Olympic selection was left to individual sporting federations, provided the athletes met certain criteria — which included a clean record in anti-doping tests. The IOC stores Olympic doping samples for 10 years, allowing them to be reopened and reanalysed when improved testing methods become available. So far, 31 of the 98 doping positives discovered in the retests of samples from the 2008 Beijing Games and the 2012 London Olympics were weightlifters.
EIGHT’S JUST ENOUGH FOR AUSSIE ROWERS AS THEY HEAD TO RIO MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Better late than never for the Australian women’s eights rowing team at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, even if they’ll have to borrow a boat and oars. The Australian women’s crew had disbanded after failing to qualify when a third placing at a regatta in Switzerland in late May left the team as first reserves for Rio. But they reassembled in Melbourne last weekend after the possibility of an Olympic call-up because of Russian athletes facing expulsion over doping.
THE TRIBUNE
Thursday, July 28, 2016, PAGE 7
UCI: NO TRACES OF MOTORS HIDDEN INSIDE BIKES AT TOUR AIGLE, Switzerland (AP) — There were no were no cases of riders using hidden motors inside their bikes on this year’s Tour de France, following extensive testing by the International Cycling Union. In a statement yesterday, the UCI said that 3,773 tests “using magnetic resistance technology” were carried out unannounced “prior, during or after racing, throughout the 21 stages of the (race)” and that they all came back negative. “This demonstrates our absolute commitment to leave no stone unturned in a matter that, if not tackled properly, could seriously damage the renewed reputation of cycling,” UCI president Brian Cookson said. “We will continue to test bikes heavily throughout the rest of the season, and do everything in our power to make sure this form of cheating stays out of our sport.” A magnetic resistance test is carried out with a tablet computer using software to scan a bike. It can detect motors, magnets and batteries in a
Moore pitches Rays to their 1st win at Dodger Stadium
bicycle’s frame, wheel hubs and rims in less than 30 seconds. This testing led to cyclocross rider Femke Van Den Driessche of Belgium being caught using a hidden motor at a world championship race. She was banned from cycling for six years in April. To ensure a varied testing protocol at this year’s Tour, the UCI also used supplementary methods of detection, such as high-powered thermal cameras using atomic research technology, and X-rays. Thermal cameras help detect the heat produced by a small hidden motor, even if the motor is turned off. The clamor for using them grew after French television programme Stade 2 claimed to have detected so-called ‘mechanical doping’ at two Italian races by using roadside thermal cameras. The UCI said these additional tests backed up the results obtained using magnetic resistance technology, while Cookson praised Tour organisers and the French police for their assistance.
By GREG BEACHAM AP Sports Writer
Brad Miller chipped a leadoff double down the right-field line and scored on Longoria’s 23rd homer of the season, his first at Dodger Stadium. Steven Souza Jr then drew a oneout walk and scored on Maile’s double for a 3-1 lead.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matt Moore pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning, Evan Longoria hit a two-run homer and the Tampa Bay Rays won at Dodger Stadium for the first time, 3-1 over Los Angeles yesterday. Luke Maile had an RBI double in a three-run fourth inning as Tampa Bay wrapped up a nine-game West Coast road swing by snapping a fourgame skid. The Rays were swept in a threegame series at Chavez Ravine in 2013, the only other time they’ve visited the Dodgers’ hallowed home turf. Moore (7-7) performed admirably against the Dodgers, who are thought to be interested in several Tampa Bay starters. The left-hander struck out five and allowed an unearned run. Brandon McCarthy (2-1) lasted just four innings for the Dodgers in his first loss since Sept. 23, 2014. Alex Colome pitched a perfect ninth for his 22nd save in 23 chances, rebounding nicely from his first blown save of the season last Saturday at Oakland. The Dodgers’ three-game winning streak ended with a meagre offensive
BIG CATCH Logan Morrison ended the seventh inning in spectacular fashion, tumbling into the stands to grab a foul pop by Kendrick. Morrison dislodged a large protective pad from the railing down the first-base line, but hung on to the ball while falling backward onto the concrete. QUITE A STEAL The Dodgers had an early lead thanks to the first stolen base in the 537-game big-league career of catcher AJ Ellis. Joc Pederson walked in the second inning and advanced to third on Ellis’ single. When Ellis unexpectedly broke for second moments later, Maile tried to throw him out — but the ball got away for an error, allowing Pederson to score. Clayton Kershaw apparently made sure the Dodgers grabbed second base as a souvenir for Ellis, who has spent his entire nine-year career with Los Angeles.
TAMPA Bay Rays starting pitcher Matt Moore throws to the plate against the Los Angeles Dodgers yesterday. (AP) effort. Howie Kendrick had two of Los Angeles’ five hits, all singles. McCarthy allowed four hits and three runs with seven strikeouts in the shortest start of his otherwise strong comeback from Tommy John surgery. After managing just one single in the first three innings, the Rays jumped on McCarthy in the fourth.
THe WeaTHer repOrT
5-Day Forecast
TOday
FrIday
saTurday
sunday
mOnday
Partly sunny with a shower in spots
Partly cloudy with a shower
Partly sunny with a shower in spots
Clouds and sun, a t‑storm in spots
Mostly sunny; breezy in the p.m.
Clouds and sun, a t‑storm in spots
High: 92°
Low: 79°
High: 92° Low: 80°
High: 90° Low: 80°
High: 93° Low: 81°
High: 92° Low: 80°
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
AccuWeather RealFeel
112° F
92° F
111°-86° F
108°-91° F
107°-88° F
108°-86° F
OrlandO
High: 97° F/36° C low: 77° F/25° C
Tampa
High: 93° F/34° C low: 79° F/26° C
The exclusive AccuWeather RealFeel Temperature® is an index that combines the effects of temperature, wind, humidity, sunshine intensity, cloudiness, precipitation, pressure and elevation on the human body—everything that affects how warm or cold a person feels. Temperatures reflect the high and the low for the day.
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almanac
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aBaCO
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High: 88° F/31° C low: 80° F/27° C
6‑12 knots
S
High: 94° F/34° C low: 80° F/27° C
3‑6 knots
FT. lauderdale
FreepOrT
High: 91° F/33° C low: 81° F/27° C
E
W S
E
W
WesT palm BeaCH
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uV inDex toDay
TOnIGHT
High: 92° F/33° C low: 79° F/26° C
mIamI
High: 92° F/33° C low: 80° F/27° C
8‑16 knots
Statistics are for Nassau through 2 p.m. yesterday Temperature High ................................................... 90° F/32° C Low .................................................... 80° F/27° C Normal high ....................................... 88° F/31° C Normal low ........................................ 75° F/24° C Last year’s high ................................. 94° F/34° C Last year’s low ................................... 82° F/28° C Precipitation As of 2 p.m. yesterday ................................. 0.16” Year to date ............................................... 24.27” Normal year to date ................................... 19.14”
eleuTHera
nassau
High: 92° F/33° C low: 79° F/26° C
Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2016
High: 87° F/31° C low: 81° F/27° C
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Key WesT
High: 89° F/32° C low: 81° F/27° C
High
Ht.(ft.)
Low
Ht.(ft.)
Today
3:13 a.m. 4:01 p.m.
2.8 3.3
9:27 a.m. 0.0 10:22 p.m. 0.4
Friday
4:18 a.m. 5:04 p.m.
2.7 3.4
10:29 a.m. 0.0 11:26 p.m. 0.3
Saturday
5:21 a.m. 6:03 p.m.
2.8 3.5
11:29 a.m. 0.0 ‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑
Sunday
6:21 a.m. 6:58 p.m.
2.8 3.6
12:26 a.m. 0.2 12:27 p.m. ‑0.1
Monday
7:17 a.m. 7:49 p.m.
2.9 3.6
1:20 a.m. 0.1 1:21 p.m. ‑0.1
Tuesday
8:08 a.m. 8:36 p.m.
3.0 3.6
2:10 a.m. 0.1 2:12 p.m. ‑0.1
Wednesday 8:57 a.m. 9:21 p.m.
3.0 3.5
2:57 a.m. 3:00 p.m.
0.0 0.0
sun anD moon Sunrise Sunset
High: 87° F/31° C low: 79° F/26° C
N
S
E
W
7‑14 knots
S
7‑14 knots
andrOs
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
tiDes For nassau
6:36 a.m. 7:57 p.m.
Moonrise Moonset
1:44 a.m. 3:08 p.m.
new
First
Full
last
aug. 2
aug. 10
aug. 18
aug. 24
CaT Island
E
W
The higher the AccuWeather UV IndexTM number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection.
san salVadOr
GreaT eXuma
High: 87° F/31° C low: 79° F/26° C
High: 87° F/31° C low: 79° F/26° C
N
High: 90° F/32° C low: 81° F/27° C
E
W S
lOnG Island
insurance management tracking map
High: 88° F/31° C low: 79° F/26° C
6‑12 knots
mayaGuana High: 87° F/31° C low: 80° F/27° C
Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.
CrOOKed Island / aCKlIns raGGed Island High: 87° F/31° C low: 80° F/27° C
GreaT InaGua High: 89° F/32° C low: 80° F/27° C
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H
High: 86° F/30° C low: 79° F/26° C
E
W
E
W
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S
S
8‑16 knots
8‑16 knots
marine Forecast aBaCO andrOs CaT Island CrOOKed Island eleuTHera FreepOrT GreaT eXuma GreaT InaGua lOnG Island mayaGuana nassau raGGed Island san salVadOr
Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday: Today: Friday:
WINDS SE at 3‑6 Knots SW at 3‑6 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots E at 4‑8 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 8‑16 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots SE at 4‑8 Knots S at 3‑6 Knots SE at 7‑14 Knots E at 6‑12 Knots NE at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 10‑20 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ENE at 7‑14 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots ESE at 3‑6 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots E at 8‑16 Knots SE at 6‑12 Knots ESE at 4‑8 Knots
WAVES 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet 0‑1 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑3 Feet 3‑5 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑2 Feet 1‑2 Feet 2‑4 Feet 2‑4 Feet 1‑3 Feet 1‑2 Feet
VISIBILITY 10 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 10 Miles 10 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles 8 Miles
WATER TEMPS. 86° F 87° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 84° F 84° F 85° F 85° F 82° F 82° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 85° F 85° F 86° F 86° F 85° F 86° F 85° F 85° F